Syria and Iraq Video: Day-by-Day Map of the Conflicts Since March 2011

Are the conflicts in Syria and Iraq too confusing to even begin looking at them?

This video, posted on YouTube on Saturday, is a basic but effective start. The shift in territory since March 2011 in both countries — between Governments, rebels, Kurds, and the Islamic State — is set out in color in 9 minutes. There are further notes and soundbites to help the illumination.

About The Author

Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView. He is a specialist in US and British foreign policy and international relations, especially the Middle East and Iran. Formerly he worked as a journalist in the US, writing for newspapers including the Guardian and The Independent and was an essayist for The New Statesman before he founded EA WorldView in November 2008.